The Elfsong of Eternia
by thew40
Summary: [COMPLETE] After being targeted by an assassination attempt, HeMan and co. must find the long lost Elves! But who the true threat is will shock them all! Please R&R!
1. Assassination Attempt

Author's Note: As per usual, these characters don't belong to me, I'm just writing about them. Wish I was getting paid, but I'm unfortunately not. Life sucks that way, don't it? Anyways, this is a story I've been meaning to work on for quite a while, but never got around to. And then I started to write it, then stopped, and now I'm back to working on it.

Also as per usual, it is in the same continuity as (deep breath) Preludes and Beginnings, The Crossroads of Destiny, Prophecy Change, Just Another Day, Roots, The Final Adventure, A Winter's Heart, and The Shroud of the Horde (not to mention a host of other fanfics coming down the line). It's really not necessary to read these other fanfics because it actually takes place before the "Destiny Series" and after Preludes and Beginnings. The timeframe for this story is between the first and second seasons of the Classic MOTU series.

* * *

Chapter One: Assassination Attempt

The Sorceress awoke suddenly as a terrible sound filled the walls of Castle Grayskull. Her mind reached out and touched Grayskull, and immediately felt its power being tapped into. For a moment, it was as if Adam had changed into He-Man.

Her telepathy reached out and scanned Adam's mind and found that he hadn't changed into He-Man. There was no transformation, no use of the Power Sword nor access to Grayskull. The Sorceress stood up and made for the throne room. Once there, she sat upon the throne and soaked in all of the information available.

The power tap was brief, if not sudden, and was out of her reach. Already, though, the power of Grayskull was being recovered. Whatever had happened was already corrected. The power tap was gone and the power was already back to normal.

What could have done that? Skeletor wasn't capable of doing something on that scale, nor were any of the other enemies of Eternia and Grayskull. The Sorceress sat for long moments in deep thought and concentration, and hoped to sort out this puzzle . . .

* * *

"So . . . just what exactly were you two trying to accomplish here?" He-Man asked.

Trap-Jaw clanged his metallic jaw the hero and fired a beam of energy from his robotic hand. He-Man leapt out of the path of the beam and rolled to his feet. As another blast sailed his way - He-Man deflected it with his sword - he couldn't help but wonder why Mer-Man and Trap-Jaw would try to break off on their own and take down Castle Grayskull by themselves.

Luckily, He-Man had seen the pair before they even entered the Evergreen Forest, which loomed behind them. Back-up was well on its way, so He-Man pretty much held them at bay while Man-At-Arms and Teela arrived. This would be great if they could capture the two villains.

After Trap-Jaw fired a third beam, He-Man jumped up and kicked him in the gut. Trap-Jaw staggered back, allowing He-Man to face down Mer-Man. The undersea warlord pulled out his trident and used it to deflect He-Man's blade.

"Not bad," He-Man said.

"We'll get you yet!" Mer-Man proclaimed. "We may have failed at getting to Castle Grayskull, but you would be a fine prisoner for Skeletor!"

Twin energy blasts struck down, knocking Mer-Man square on his butt. He-Man spun around and watched as Teela and Man-At-Arms arrived on a pair of Sky Sleds. Trap-Jaw struggled to put on a new weapon on his arm as the two of them moved towards him.

"Damn this old rusty arm," cursed Trap-Jaw. He finally managed to get the laser gun on when there came a shout.

"LOOK OUT, TRAP-JAW!"

Mer-Man, thrown by He-Man, smashed right into Trap-Jaw. The laser gun fell off and struck the ground. Teela, He-Man and Man-At-Arms surrounded the pair.

"Like I said - what exactly were you two trying to accomplish here?"

"Let's get out of here!" shouted Mer-Man, running towards the waiting Spydor. The large mechanical monster scurried off then, after collect Mer-Man and Trap-Jaw.

Once they were pretty much out of sight, Teela sighed and leaned against her staff. "Well, He-Man, I guess you didn't need us after all."

He-Man laughed and put his hand on her shoulder. Teela smiled. "I guess not, Teela. But still, it was good to see you."

"Same here."

Man-At-Arms, meanwhile, was making his way over to the fallen arm-weapon. "This could be valuable to us. It'll provide a good look at just how Trap-Jaw mechanical arm works. I - "

Much to He-Man and Teela's curiosity, Man-At-Arms stopped mid-sentence. "What is it, father?" asked Teela.

The old warrior stood up and looked into the Evergreen Forest. Something was in there, moving about. It was faint and if he wasn't right next to it, he wouldn't have heard it. There was a sudden noise and a vague movement - and Man-At-Arms leapt into action.

"GET DOWN!" he declared.

A sudden barrage of arrows fired from the depths of the forest, slicing through the air and heading right towards He-Man and Teela. The two leapt out of the way, the arrows flying right into the ground.

For a brief second, two figures appeared in the forest. They were running deep into its heart, making for the northwest. Without a word, He-Man, Man-At-Arms, and Teela followed. The pair of would-be assassin archers seemed to blend in with the trees and the plants and the shadows as the leapt over streams, rocks, and logs.

"Keep moving!" shouted He-Man, jumping over a large fallen tree.

It was strange, chasing these two figures. As they moved fluidly and quickly through the woods, it looked almost as if their shape was changing. At one point, they seemed tall - as tall as a house - and then, just passing under the shadow of a tree, they looked smaller as if young children. Most of the time, though, they remained the average height of a man.

After nearly three minutes of chasing, the two assassins split up and headed in two different directions. He-Man pointed Teela and Man-At-Arms after the one that headed southwest while he chased the one going northwest.

After about fifty seconds, the assassin He-Man was chasing leapt over a stream, and He-Man leapt from his place. He-Man hoped to collide with the assassin as soon at the archer landed on the ground, but (much to his shock) the assassin leapt again - off the air! He-Man touched the ground on the other side of the stream, and the assassin landed about fifteen feet ahead, hitting the ground running.

He-Man was more than impressed with the assassin's speed, and his strange abilities. Whoever this was, he was very good at this and was more than obviously knew some sorcery. He-Man had to respect that, but he couldn't let the assassin get away with trying to kill him without an explanation.

As He-Man closed in on the assassin he swung his Power Sword against a nearby tree. Only about eight feet ahead, the assassin was well within the range of the tree's collapse. But shockingly, as the tree began to fall, the assassin leapt up and placed his hand on the falling tree. The tree moved then, back to its original place and merged with its previous location, the cut that He-Man made vanishing.

The assassin, who was running ON the tree, jumped off and threw his hands out, a sparkle of light coming from his fingers.

"_Petrificusis!_"

The sparkle of light flared brightly and He-Man suddenly found himself completely still. His body was immobile and he collapsed, paralyzed.

The assassin jumped from the tree and landed squarely before He-Man. His face was covered by his red-hooded cloak, which flowed down past his knees.

"I should kill you right now," the assassin stated. "But I have sworn my life not to."

With that, the assassin ran and quickly vanished from sight.

He-Man laid there, in the shadow of the trees for a few long moments, thinking about all this. What were these assassins? How powerful were they that they could jump off the wind like it was the earth and move on, heal and fix an entire tree mid-fall? How were they able to change their size or perception of their size? Who were they and who were they working for?

As feeling began to enter him again and the holding spell wore off, Man-At-Arms and Teela approached.

"What happened?" he asked, his first words after coming out of it.

"We're not sure," replied Man-At-Arms. "The assassin leapt behind a group of rocks, flashed a light in our eyes and were gone."

"It looks like you didn't fare very well yourself," Teela observed, helping He-Man up.

"No, I didn't. I sliced through this tree so it would fall upon the assassin I was chasing, but he jumped on it mid-fall, repaired the slice, healed it and then placed a freeze spell on me and left."

"Curious," said Man-At-Arms, rubbing his chin. "Come on. Let's check arrows. Maybe they can help us determine who it was who attacked you."

The trio made for the edge of the forest once more, and a few minutes later, arrived at the field. As Man-At-Arms collected the arrows and Trap-Jaw's robotic arm, the three of them all received a telepathic message from the Sorceress.

_He-Man, Man-At-Arms, Teela! Come to Castle Grayskull quickly, I must speak with you! _Sorceress pleaded.

"She sounded worried," Teela observed.

"I noticed as well. We better go," He-Man said, sharing a Sky Sled with Teela.

After gathering up all the arrows and the arm, the two Sky Sleds left the area and headed northeast to Castle Grayskull.

A few minutes later, the Sky Sleds were entering the heart of the Evergreen Forest and came upon Castle Grayskull. Even after all this time, it was still more than impressive. It was located in a strangely beautiful but barren area of the Evergreen Forest, and stuck out high above the chasm that surrounded the Castle.

The Sky Sleds landed on the bridge in front of the chasm and as they got off, the drawbridge opened, allowing them entrance. He-Man led them inside, through the main corridor, the foyer and into the throne room, where sat the Sorceress.

"I thank you for your quick arrival," Sorceress said. "I am concerned. Two days ago, I sensed an outside energy tapping into Grayskull's power. It was brief and lasted for only a moment and then was over and the power was restored."

"Have you had any luck figuring out what happened?"

"No, I have not," replied Sorceress. "I was going to ask you if you had sensed anything as well, He-Man?"

"No. Everything with the Sword of Power has remained nominal," He-Man answered. "But, maybe unrelated, but we were just about assassinated by two archers that possessed incredible sorcery."

Sorceress nodded. "As I saw. Let me see the arrows."

Man-At-Arms opened the pack he had placed them in and gave them to Sorceress. A curious expression appeared her face and she held one of the arrows. She ran her fingers over the wood, across the arrowhead, and through the quill.

"Odd," she remarked.

"What is it?" asked Teela. "Do you know who the assassins were?"

"Elves," Sorceress replied, handing the arrow back to Man-At-Arms.

"Elves? Really?" questioned He-Man. "That doesn't make any sense. All of the Elves we've encountered don't have anything against me. At least, not that I know of."

"Aren't most of the Elves on Eternia nomadic and usually stay with their own kind, and rather not deal with the other peoples of the world?" Man-At-Arms asked.

"The Elves of Eternia, yes. But these arrows did not belong to any of the Elves on Eternia," Sorceress answered. "These belong to the lost kingdom of the Elves. The Elves of the island kingdom of Dellos. Those Elves vanished nearly 1,000 years ago, though."

Man-At-Arms folded his arms. "So what you're saying is that Elves from a vanished kingdom tried to assassinate us today? Why?"

"I do not know, but I can not help but feel there is a connection to the power tap."

"It might be a good idea to consult some of our resources at Eternos," He-Man said then. "Prince Adam would hate to hear me say this, but I believe a clue to the solution of our problem lies in the history books."

Man-At-Arms smiled, enjoying that extra touch to keep He-Man's secret identity just that. "Good idea. Sorceress, let us know if there are any more power taps."

"I will. Good journey."

The Sorceress walked them out of the Castle, then stood outside for a moment, soaking in the fresh air. Something within the Sorceress stirred then as part of her realized the implications given forth here.

Change . . . change was in the wind . . .


	2. The Diplomatic Route

Chapter Two: "The Diplomatic Route"

* * *

After a good night's sleep, Adam awoke to the sound of knocking on his bedroom door.

No, wait.

More like pounding.

Loud pounding.

And now shouting.

"ADAM!"

It was purely recognizable - Teela.

"ADAM! WAKE UP!"

Adam sat up with a start. That insufferable woman was knocking so hard on his door he thought it might just fly off its hinges.

"What . . . ?" he groaned.

Immediately, the door went flying open. Cringer leapt about ten feet into the air in pure shock. Adam shot up from his laying position. Teela came barging right in.

"GET UP! GET DRESSED! GET DOWNSTAIRS! NOW!"

"Wha . . . ? Why?" Adam questioned, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

"An ambassador from Darksmoke just showed up."

"Darksmoke . . . a Dragon?"

"A Troll, you dummy! Get up and get down there NOW!"

"Ugh . . . all right . . ."

By the time Adam made himself look presentable (and much like many guys from his mothers homeworld, it didn't take long at all) and got the throne room, whatever formalities had taken place were over with. Adam managed to slip into the large chamber without anyone the wiser. A few of the other Heroic Warriors were present, including Sy-Klone, Stratos, Ram-Man, Roboto, and Moss Man.

The ambassador from Darksmoke was an ugly creature wearing far too many robes in far too many colors. He banged his staff onto the ground before he finally spoke.

"I have come regarding the assassination attempt on He-Man's life yesterday afternoon," the ambassador named Shrugg. "Since your kingdom is most affiliated with the guardian of Grayskull, I assumed you would be willing to help him. I would think that after so many times of saving your life that you would do the same to him."

Adam noticed that Shrugg was making a lot of assumptions regarding his father, but was surprised to see the King taking them in such stride.

"That is true, Ambassador. How can we help He-Man?"

"What were the findings of the arrows the assassins attacked with? If they are what we believe they are, then Granamyr will aide you. If not, then you stand your own."

Man-At-Arms spoke up. "From what we can gather, our sources tell us they were fashioned by Elves of the former kingdom of Dellos."

There was no look of surprise on Randor or Marlena's face, which meant that Man-At-Arms had filled them in on the going's on.

"Your sources are correct, then," Shrugg confirmed.

"Just how is that possible, ambassador?" asked Randor. "The kingdom of Dellos vanished centuries ago!"

"I can not explain it myself. Only my master knows."

Who Shrugg was referring to was Granamyr, master of the Dragons of Eternia. Granamyr was far from a friend of Men or many other forms of life on Eternia. However, Granamyr had found an ally in He-Man and Man-At-Arms. His willingness to communicate to He-Man through a third party (Randor and Eternos) showed Adam that Granamyr's distrust of humanity was waning just slightly.

"Just who will get in touch with your master?" asked Marlena.

"He has asked that He-Man, Man-At-Arms, and three guests travel to Darksmoke to negotiate with the Elves of Dellos. Granamyr was once a close ally with the leader of the Elves 1,000 years ago."

As quickly as Adam slipped in, he slipped back out. No one noticed, save Man-At-Arms, who gave him only the most subtle of nods.

Two minutes after Adam vanished from the throne room, He-Man entered. He came through the main doors and got everyone's attention.

"Prince Adam just told me the news about my attempted assassination. Shrugg, what are Granamyr's terms?"

"He-Man, a pleasure to be in the presence of a man of such heroism," Shrugg attempted, though his flattery sounded much more like mockery.

"Thank you, ambassador," He-Man then responded. "What is the problem we're facing, Shrugg?"

"I can not say much beyond what Granamyr has requested. The Elves did indeed attempt to kill you. Granamyr is willing to help, as he and the Elven leader were once allies. As long as only you, Man-At-Arms and three companions are the only ones that go Darksmoke, then he shall. I am sorry to say that these terms are non-negotiable."

"Understood then. Teela? Are you up for a trip?" He-Man asked of her.

"Sure thing, He-Man.

"What about you, Moss Man? Ram-Man?"

"You betcha, He-Man!" Ram-Man answered.

"The same goes for me."

He-Man turned back to Shrugg. "Looks like I've got my three."

"So be it. Granamyr awaits your arrival. I would advise you to be there soon, lest another assassin decides to take another attempt at your life."

"Your concern is dually noted."

Shrugg only grunted in reply.

* * *

Two hours later, a Talon Fighter blasted off from Eternos and headed northwest, towards Darksmoke Mountain, home of Granamyr, king of Dragons. Man-At-Arms and Teela were both in the cockpit, chatting. In the backseat, He-Man sat with Ram-Man and Moss Man. Ram-Man and Moss Man were busy chatting about rocks and plants (and what a sensational conversation that was). 

He-Man, for the most part, was left alone and he preferred it that way. He hated being in the line of fire - especially when it involved someone he wasn't familiar with. These were assassins, taking potshots at his life. What did he do to these people? Who were they to try and kill him?

The Talon Fighter took a sharp turn. He-Man was yanked away from his innermost thoughts and looked out his window. A large, green Dragon went soaring away.

"Barely missed that one," Man-At-Arms stated, a little shocked.

"Here we are," said Teela. "Darksmoke Mountain."

They all gazed out the window and watched as they descended towards a huge mountain, on top of which was a massive dome that served as Granamyr's seat of power. The Talon Fighter swung in close to the dome and landed right before its mammoth doors.

A pair of Trolls marched right over to them, grunted, and looked them over.

"Come from Eternos, do ya?" asked one of them.

"Yes. I am He-Man," he confirmed.

"Am'assdor Shugg met ya, did he not? Aye, he did," the other said. 'Enter, then, and see the master of Dragons - the wise and powerful Granamyr!"

They all exchanged glances, and then walked in. Above them, a cry of a Dragon captured their attention and they paused. The Dragon appeared and went flying west. They were large creatures, full of great majestic beauty and power.

The Heroic Warriors entered the palace. Guided by memory, He-Man and Man-At-Arms lead the other three to the large doors belonging to Granamyr's high chamber. Without so much a knock, He-Man opened the doors.

Granamyr, large and covered in thick, red scales, sat at the edge of a gold-filled pit. All around the circular room were huge piles of treasures from the past and the present. He grinned at him, the horned helmet remaining in place as he stood up.

"Greetings, He-Man and guests."

"Granamyr, greetings from Eternos," He-Man answered.

"There is a great danger here, He-Man. The Elves are blaming you for a powerful crime and are willing to go war over it."

"What kind of crime?"

Granamyr shrugged. "I'm not sure. They certainly aren't telling me."

"Are they sure it was me?"

"Very positive. They could even sense the power of Grayskull in their realm."

He-Man glanced at Man-At-Arms with a little reluctance.

"I'm not sure if I understand this," Teela said suddenly. "How could He-Man could be there? He's been on Eternia the entire time."

"True. There are facts I am unaware of, woman. However, you are all quite lucky that my old ties with the Elves still remain. We Dragons and the Elves share certain interests and concerns regarding Eternia."

"The Elves gave up Eternia. Just how can they still worry about it if they left?" asked Moss Man.

"They came from Eternia, did they not? They began their time here before leaving for their own realm. This was their home once and in some ways, it still is. But that is all the besides the point, guardian of the plants."

"How serious are the Elves in their threat of war?" Man-At-Arms questioned.

"Very serious. Serious enough to sent scouts from their dimension. Serious enough to contact me. This situation is dire to say the least."

"What can we do about it?"

"I have been able to talk to the Elves. They are willing to allow you into their realm to investigate the matter. This was not an easy agreement to come by, of course, but they are just as willing to get to the bottom of this as you certainly are."

"Of course," He-Man answered. "And just how will we get into this realm?"

"Travel to Dellos. There is an active gateway there. Enter it and then the situation will unfold from there." Granamyr then pulled out a box. Within was a scroll with a map to Dellos and a golden charm with a large Dragon atop a mountain stamped on it. "Take this map. It will show you the way. Take this charm, also. It will show the Elves that you came to me and are seeking the uneasy peace that we three have formed."

He-Man turned to the others. "You heard the Dragon. Let's do it."

* * *

Four long hours of travel of the calm seas of the Ocean of Gnarl. They were just passing the terminator into night as they came close to the island had told them about. It stood some twenty miles east of the boarder of the Dark Hemisphere. The island kingdom of Dellos looked at once overrun with plant growth, but He-Man could very easily see long-forgotten structures standing out amongst the fifteen miles of island. 

"There's a clear area," Teela advised.

"I see it," Man-At-Arms replied. "All right, everyone, stay strapped in and prepare for landing."

The Talon Fighter thrusted forward just a little and the ship careened slowly towards a clearing along an long and broken cobblestone walk-way. It landed with ease and the party from Eternos exited.

As soon as Moss Man's feet touched the ground, his yellow eyes widened. "This place - !" he shouted.

All eyes fell on him. "What is it?" asked He-Man.

Moss Man waved his hand an inch or so over the grass. "It's so old!" His expression was that of pure wonder and amazement. "I've heard of Elven kingdoms being full of wonders, but nothing like this!" Moss Man then turned to a tree and rushed over. He placed his hands on it and all could see the effect.

"Are you okay?"

"Okay! This place is ancient! These trees may just be older than Skytree itself!"

He-Man was ready to move on, but Man-At-Arms spoke before He-Man even began to think of a polite way of breaking Moss Man's mood.

"What can they tell us of the Elves, Moss Man?" asked Man-At-Arms. He-Man mentally kicked himself. Sometimes Grayskull's wisdom just didn't work for him.

"They're peaceful . . . kind . . ." Moss Man replied, listening to the tree's silent words. "Great caretakers. They've been gone for many seasons, but two came back not long ago . . ."

"The assassins," Teela assumed.

Moss Man continued to listen. "Yes. Yes. They had weapons and . . . oh . . . they're here now."

Man-At-Arm's eyes widened. "What!"

Just then, the two assassins appeared, clad in long green ponchos. They produced their long bows and arrows and aimed straight at the group.

"One false move and one of you falls," commanded the tallest of the pair, the one of the left.

Teela moved her gun, but He-Man shook his head. "Of course," He-Man told the Elves then.

"You are here for either one of two reasons."

"We've spoken with Granamyr," Man-At-Arms told them, "and have come from Eternos."

"Where is his mark?"

Man-At-Arms produced the charm given to them by Granamyr. He held it high. Still ready to fire, the Elf squinted, his incredible vision analyzing the details of the charm. His magic confirmed the authenticity of the material.

The Elves stepped back, but kept their bows raised.

"Follow this road. It will take you to a crossroads. Turn right and you will be take to a pavilion. We will be there. Go now."

"What about you?" asked He-Man.

But before the words let his mouth, the Elves dashed off into the woods. They moved like the wind, feet barely making a sound as they rushed off.

"They're going to be watching us. They'll see us while we won't see them," Man-At-Arms told them. "A nice strategy."

"Comforting," Moss Man grumbled.

"Just keep your weapons down," He-Man told them. "And let's move it."

Teela glanced at her father and the two exchanged an unspoken thought. He-Man was frustrated over this whole situation.

"After you," Ram-Man spoke up.

The walked along the path for quite some time, the island apparently much larger than they thought. Dawn was coming and in the orange light that was shining across the land of Dellos, the party from Eternos was both paranoid and interested. Huge, abandoned buildings lined the path, and every now and then, overgrown statues blocked their way.

After about an hour and a half, the path took them out from some deep woods and next to a huge cliff. It was they saw the palace that once stood at Dellos. They all stopped to take in the sight. The palace was huge with tall white towers and structures. Golden domes cape them off. Huge vines and trees grew wildly all around it, but they looked ever so natural, as they were part of the palace.

"We better keep moving," advised Man-At-Arms.

"Right."

And so the group continued on, the island a point of remarkable beauty. What could have driven them away? What could have made them want to leave?

After another twenty minutes, they arrived at crossroads. The road going to the left led to a bridge, which appeared to go to the palace. The one to the right led to another small forest. If they continued on they were on, it would take them to over a hill.

They turned right and went into the small forest. Very soon, they were at the circular pavilion. On the opposite side of them was a pair of pillars. Right next to it was a tall, nine-foot statue of an Elf. At that moment, the two assassins, appeared, leaping onto the pavilion, arrows aimed.

"No funny business," one grumbled. Its associate pulled out a wand tapped it on the state. Suddenly, bright blue light appeared between the pillars.

The first assassin entered and the second one pointed to the portal.

"Enter. Now."

He-Man, Man-At-Arms, Teela, Moss, and Ram-Man complied, each entering into the blue light.


	3. Oris

Chapter Three: "Oris"

* * *

Upon their arrival, there came a very loud command.

"Put those weapons down!"

He-Man, Man-At-Arms, Teela, Moss Man, and Ram-Man arrived in the Elves dimension along with their two escorts. They were standing on a pavilion much like the one they had just left. However, except the statue of the Elf, there were statues of all the people of Eternia.

"Our weapons are down," He-Man said to the lead Elf on this side of the portal. This one was lean, tall, with long black hair that flowed passed his shoulders. Behind him were four other Elves.

"Not you, He-Man," the lead Elf said.

The two would-be assassins lowered their bows and arrows, exchanging surprised expressions. "But these are our enemies!" protested the taller of the two.

"They are our guests!" chided the lead Elf. "How dare you treat them with such little respect?"

"We treated them as your father commanded us to," said the other Elf.

The lead Elf took a step forward. "You will show me respect as well, Vorlon," he grumbled. The second of the assassins bowed a little.

"My apologies, prince."

The Elven prince took in a deep breath after excusing Vorlon and his companion. He then turned to He-Man's party.

"He-Man and guests, welcome to the Elven realm of Oris. I am Prince Lorn, son of King Shorn. Thank you for coming here and meeting with us so peacefully."

"We are honored," He-Man replied. "I'm glad we're both interested in wrapping up this business as fast and as diplomatically as possible."

Lorn smiled. "As am I, champion of Grayskull." He then looked to the others. "Who are your companions, may I ask?"

"Man-At-Arms, Moss Man, Ram-Man, and Teela of Eternos."

Lorn shook all of their hands . . . until Teela. He lifted hers up and kissed it. "A pleasure," he said, his brown eyes meeting her green eyes. He then turned to all of them. "A pleasure to meet all of you. If you'll follow me, my father is expecting us."

They walked along a brick path, observing the differences between their home and this new dimension. The sky was a golden orange. The trees were silver white with very light green leafs hanging from their branches. There seemed to be a vague haze all around them as they walked.

The group came around a bend and saw, down at the bottom of a steep valley, a massively tall silver-white tower that seemed to stretch upward for miles. As they walked along the edge of the valley, they could hear a sort of light humming coming from the tower.

"What is that?" asked He-Man.

"The Tower of Oris," Lorn responded. "It is what maintains our dimension. Without it, all of this would fade off into nothing. It is . . . troubled a bit now.

"What do you mean?"

"All will be revealed at dinner. My escorts with me will take you to your rooms, where clothes are being prepared for you. You will dine with my father and I tonight. A very formal occasion, for we so little often have guests."

Teela rolled her eyes at He-Man, obviously not looking forward to wearing a gown. She then, however, caught sight a sly grin from Lorn. Much to her own surprise, she returned the grin with one of her own.

The Elven palace was quite elaborate, and looked very similar to the one they had passed back on Dellos. As they arrived, Lorn escorted them in.

"I will tell my father of your arrival," Lorn said to them. "Your quarters have been arranged for you in the western tower."

"How will you know our sizes?" asked He-Man.

"The thread has been enchanted by our master spell casters. Put the outfits on as you wish and you shall find that they will resize to fit you perfectly."

"Thank you."

As the group was taken up into the western tower, He-Man turned to Man-At-Arms.

"Think we can trust them?" asked He-Man.

"I think so," Man-At-Arms replied. "So far, so good."

"Yeah. So far."

The quarters were quite ordinary - a bed, a table, a wardrobe, and a vanity in each one. After entering, each of them found a wide variety of formal clothes in the wardrobes. Nearly twenty minutes later, He-Man emerged from his quarters wearing a blue outfit that looked a bit too stuffy for him.

Across the hall, Teela's door opened and she came stepped out. He-Man – and Adam within – had never seen her like quite like this. She wore a beautiful gown that widened at the bottom. It was white with light gold swirls all over it. Her hair was up in a curled bun.

"Shut up," she told He-Man as he started to open his mouth.

"You look - "

"Shush. This is the least poofy and ugly thing in there. And it's your fault I have to dress up in this ridiculous outfit."

"My fault?"

"Yes. You just had to have assassins after you."

He-Man rolled his eyes. "Oh yes. All my fault."

"Teela!" laughed Man-At-Arms. "Just look at my little girl!"

"Father, please."

"But you look so beautiful!"

"You're embarrassing me," she said through gritted teeth.

"Aww, I'm sorry, precious," Man-At-Arms added, pinching her cheek. He was decked out in a green suit, but still wore his Honor Belt and all of his vital equipment.

Moss Man and Ram-Man then joined them. Ram-Man wore a purple number and retained his helmet. Moss Man was wearing a huge brown robe and a lay made of silver roses.

"Ready to eat?" asked Moss Man. "Wow, Teela, you look gorgeous!"

"Oh yeah!" Ram-Man added. "A real beauty!"

Teela buried her red face in her hand and sighed. "Let's just go, huh?"

A few minutes later, the group was escorted once more through the long corridors of the palace. Beautiful statues of Elves stood along the walls along with exotic-looking plants and amazing paintings. Each one of the Heroic Warriors would have wanted to take more time to study what they were seeing, but their escorts seemed to want them to hurry.

They arrived in a large chamber. Four tables stood in a square. Each table was filled with food and an Elf sat in every chair. As the Eternians entered, the Elves stared at them in what could best be described as awe and wonder. The room itself was decked out with more Elven statues, though every statue could be best described as looking relaxed and at rest.

"Good afternoon," He-Man greeted.

"Hello," a man said from what He-Man guessed was the main table. Lorn sat next to the man. The man looked quite like Lorn, save for that he was very much older – long hair silver gray, face wrinkled, chin and cheeks flowing with a beard the color of his hair. Upon his brow was a small crown.

"I am King Shorn of the Elves," Shorn greeted. "Have a seat and let us palaver with a people we have not spoken with in many, many years."

"Thank you, King Shorn. The honor is ours. We mean you no disrespect, but considering there was an assassination attempt made on my life just yesterday by two of your agents, I would like to inspect the food for any . . . dangers."

Shorn gave Lorn a concerned look, but Lorn nodded. "If we are to trust each other, then you must do what you must."

Man-At-Arms waved a small scanner over the food. After a few minutes, he nodded. "It's clean."

And thus, the meal began. Small talk was kicked around, mostly between the Heroic Warriors and the Elven royal family. The other Elves there spoke as well, but mostly amongst themselves. Some would stare at the Eternians, but most others were engaged in talk too much to bother. It was revealed in due time that these Elves were heads of the families of Oris.

Finally, He-Man found that it was time to get down to business.

"As much as I appreciate this fine food and your hospitality," he began, "I would like to figure all of this out. The event that brought us together is one that . . . troubles me."

Shorn nodded a little and turned to Lorn. Lorn leaned forward. "We were attacked."

"I gathered as much," He-Man replied.

"Not in the traditional way, He-Man," Shorn cut in. "The one who attacked us journeyed into the Tower of Oris. The power he gave off disrupted the very delicate energies within. This has led to vast ramifications to the structure of our realm."

"What kind of ramifications?" asked Man-At-Arms.

"It has - " Lorn began, but Shorn lifted his hand.

"Those are questions that we will answer later," Shorn replied. "For now, let us concentrate on the perpetrator."

"You say he looks like me?"

"Yes," Lorn answered, glancing at his father. "All save the colors."

"What do you mean?" He-Man asked, feeling a chill go up his spine.

"His skin is blue. His eyes are yellow. His hair is orange."

"Faker," He-Man said simply.

"Who is Faker?" asked Shorn.

"Part clone, part robot," He-Man answered. "He was created by my enemy, Skeletor. He's almost exactly like me . . . except evil."

Lorn and Shorn looked to each other, trying to decide whether or not they believed him.

"It would explain the shift in Grayskull's power as well," Man-At-Arms then said. "Faker retains a very small portion of Grayskull's power. If his power interacted with that of the Elves, it would explain the disruptions you mentioned."

Shorn leaned towards Lorn and the two were suddenly deeply involved in a hushed conversation. All eyes were now on either the Eternians or the royal Elves.

"Faker is my responsibility," He-Man declared then. "Tell me where he headed and I'll help you track him down and defeat him."

Lorn and Shorn nodded.

"We will give you one night's rest here at the palace," Shorn said to them. "In the morning, we shall hunt for Faker."

* * *

He-Man couldn't sleep. Or, really, it was a limited sleep. He kept tossing and turning and waking up at odd hours. Finally, at what he could guess was Five Bells in the Morning, he gave up and wandered out of his room. He found his way to a balcony and watched as light began to arrive on the horizon.

It wasn't long until he heard footsteps. He turned and found King Shorn joining him.

"Is that a real sun?" He-Man asked.

"To an extent, yes. We chose this dimension because its reality was so easy to shape. Our power could affect it vastly, creating the changes we needed."

"I see." He-Man paused. "Why did your people leave Eternia?"

"Mankind," was Shorn's only reply.

"What about it? What happened that offended you so greatly?"

"If Granamyr hasn't told you why the Dragons broke off relations with Eternians, then I shouldn't either."

"He told me that a deal was brokered. That my people came to him for help and after he gave, there were reparations made. No gifts, no thanks."

Shorn scoffed. "He told you only half the story, then."

"What's the other half? Tell me, Shorn, what role did the Elves play?"

Shorn looked at the rising sun quietly, his eyes cast way in search of what to say and the right words to use. "We were drawn into the conflict of Men, He-Man. Your Council of Elders insulted us and we were unhappy with what was occurring on Eternia. So, we left."

"Must have been quite the insult for you to leave and never come back."

"Some of us remained, but not many. The Men of Eternia have broken our trust."

"You distrust us enough to make an assassination attempt on my life?"

"I ordered those Elves to confirm that you were on Eternia and not in Oris. The steps they took were out of anger. Frustration."

He-Man nodded. "I don't care for having my life being threatened like that, Shorn."

"I understand, but I also do not care. Your 'evil twin' placed our realm into grave danger. Steps had to be taken. Despite those steps getting out of hand, the fact remains that you were considered a danger as well."

"Fine." He-Man grunted and turned away from the sunrise. "I'll handle Faker. He's my responsibility. But know something, Shorn. Mankind has changed. Even Granamyr has seen that. We have grown. There may still be those that seek to harm others, but there are obviously Elves that feel that same way. The assassination attempt is proof of that."

With that, He-Man walked off. As soon as he did, another door to the balcony opened up and Lorn walked out.

"Father . . ."

"You heard all of that?" asked Shorn.

"Yes." Lorn looked to the sunrise. "He's right, too. The Eternians have changed. That much is obvious to even me."

Shorn scoffed just a little. "My boy," he stated. "You weren't there a thousand years ago when Eldor came to Dellos and begged us to stay. He needed us, but after what happened with the Dragons . . ."

"It's been a thousand years, father! And you didn't even tell him the truth. Oris is falling apart. It has been for centuries. Faker's disruption only forced it to progress. How much longer to we have? A year? Months?"

Shorn sighed heavily and stepped close to his son. "Weeks, if we are lucky."

"Then we should - "

"We will do nothing. I already have our top mystics searching for another dimension."

"Why do that, father? Why not return to Eternia? Much of Dellos is still intact. Vorlon told me so. In fact, many of our people are wondering about Eternia. Wondering how much of it has changed and what it is like compared to Oris."

"We will not be returning to Eternia, Lorn. Our time there is over."


	4. HeMan's Reflection

Chapter Four: "He-Man's Reflection"

"They are full of secrets, Duncan."

Man-At-Arms merely nodded a little as both he and He-Man continued through the part of Oris called the Deepening Woods. It was where the Elves could best sense Faker's presence.

"Many of the ancients races of Eternia are. The Dragons, the Elves . . . even Elders and Ancients were full of mysteries and secrets. All we have is what they left behind."

He-Man shrugged, Power Sword at the ready. "I understand, I guess. But why? I know there are things Shorn isn't telling us. I want to know what it is they're not telling us."

"It's a simple matter of trust, He-Man. They don't trust us. We may wish they did, but unfortunately, life has other plans. But my hope is that this incident will help bring our two people together. Just as what happened to me brought the Dragons and Eternos into good relations."

He-Man nodded. "I suppose you're right, Duncan. But I can't shake the feeling that something happened in the mutual history of our two peoples. Something that shattered the trust so completely that the Elves felt they had to leave Eternia."

Man-At-Arms shrugged. "I wish I had an answer for you. But I think it would be best not to concentrate of the past. Instead, we must focus . . . on the future."

XXX

"The future of our people lies in this younger generation, Teela," Lorn told the Captain as they traveled nearly two miles west of He-Man and Man-At-Arms position.

"Isn't that how it always plays out?" she asked, leaping over a fallen log.

"Well, yes, but our previous generation has been around for over 1,000 years. The more they pass on, the more of us take their place. Our young people – my generation – thirst for more than Oris."

"What do you mean?"

Lorn paused in their hunt and looked around at the forest around him. "Oris has been our home for many, many long years. I myself am 700 years old."

Teela almost did a spit-take. Lorn didn't look any older than she.

"But because of that, we have grown curious about our roots. Eternia was the birthplace of my people, so what has become of it? Perhaps the Elves can find our place on Eternia once again."

"It has changed. Technology has become more prominent. But there is still magic and sorcery. There is war, but there are also those like ourselves that seek to end war and create peace."

Lorn looked away sadly. "Then, it hasn't changed that much. Our books and parents speak of war fought by the Eternian Men. They speak also of the price of peace."

"Life must preserved. There are prices, yes, but the innocent should never suffer. Eternos believes that all life is sacred – especially humanoid life. We have our weapons on stun and only the Royal Soldiers are authorized to kill – and that is only if they are ordered to."

This seemed to relieve Lorn and his forced a smile. "Perhaps things have changed, then."

Teela found herself smiling. "I like to think so."

XXX

"I think something is wrong."

Moss Man looked over at Ram-Man, eyebrow raised. A few feet away, Vorlon was scouting around, eyes squinting, searching for Faker. This party was a mile south of He-Man and Man-At-Arms.

"What do you mean?" asked Moss Man.

Ram-Man bounced just a little. "The ground. It just doesn't feel right."

"Well, we are in another dimension. That could have something to do with it."

Ram-Man shrugged. "Maybe. But I don't think so."

"Oh?"

Ram-Man bounced again, just a little. "It just don't feel . . . right. Like it's not real ground. Like it's all fake." Ram-Man then paused, as if in deep thought. Moss Man was used to this, as it usually took Ram-Man a while to process what he wanted to say and then to articulate it just the right way. "The more I bounce, the weaker it becomes too," he then said after a few moments.

"Strange."

Vorlon was still scouting the perimeter as Moss Man walked over to one of the trees and placed his hand on it. He reached out with his mind to communicate with it, but was stunned by what he found.

"Nothing," he said to Ram-Man. "Just energy. Weakening energy too. Every few seconds, it feels like the energy lessens just a little."

"THERE!" shouted Vorlon.

"Where?" asked Moss Man, turning to their previously silent companion.

At that moment, a blue figure slammed into Vorlon. The two went rolling across the ground, with the figure eventually kicking Vorlon into one of the trees. The figure then turned to Ram-Man and Moss Man.

"Faker," Moss Man grunted.

Ram-Man pressed on his communicator and alerted the others as Moss Man let loose vines from his body. They flew around Faker's body, but He-Man's evil doppelganger snapped them just by pulling his arms and legs away from them.

Faker then jumped up and slammed his fists into Moss Man's stomach. Moss Man went crumbling back. Ram-Man then jumped at him, but Faker punched Ram-Man right in the head before he reached him. Ram-Man went flying backwards.

Laser blasts then echoed out in the forest as Man-At-Arms and He-Man arrived on the scene. He-Man unsheathed his Sword of Power.

"Faker. End this."

"He-Man."

Faker drew his own faux Sword of Power.

The two launched at each other, blade slamming against blade. They struck each other with intense speed and strength, the sound of metal on metal echoing out into the otherwise quiet forest. As they two continued to fight on with their blades, it was soon evident that they were trapped in some sort of wild rhythm. They were evenly matched with strength and skill.

Slash, block. Thrust, deflect. Stab, dodge. Strike, miss.

For every new addition He-Man tried to add to his fighting pallet, Faker's incredible computer mind was able to instantly produce a counterattack.

"I had hoped after our last encounter you'd be done for," He-Man said at last as he and Faker continued their stalemated duel. "How did you get here?"

"I fell," Faker replied in that strange, computer-produced version of He-Man's own voice. "Into the Abyss."

"Yeah, I remember that," He-Man responded, hoping to distract Faker enough to get in a scratch. He wasn't able to; his attack was blocked. "Clearly."

"I was overcome in a burst of power. Energy cracked around me as a I tumbled into the heart of Eternia," Faker continued. "A portal flared open ever-so-briefly before me. I fell into it. I awoke here. It took me a long time to repair myself, but in time . . . I was able to."

"Then why did you stay?" He-Man questioned, dodging a swipe.

"I needed power!" Faker responded. "And now, I have it!"

At that moment, something happened. Faker's body suddenly started to glow. His eyes turned from red to white. Little streams of electricity began to flare out from him. Body aglow with blue light, it unleashed a wave of power that struck He-Man hard.

He-Man collided with the ground and watched as everything around Faker fizzled in and out of existence. He looked over at the Elves standing with the other Heroic Warriors and saw them all go wildly dizzy.

Distracted, He-Man barely had time to move out the way when Faker landed right above. He-Man leapt forward and landed a punch, sending Faker spiraling back. Faker swung in with his faux Sword of Power, but he was lagging. The attack that he had unleashed earlier had weakened him . . .

The faux Sword of Power slammed against He-Man's shield. He-Man punched Faker in the head twice, then kicked his wrist. Faker's sword went spinning through the air and landed a few feet away. He-Man went to punch Faker again, but was suddenly on the receiving end of his fists.

He-Man stumbled, but regained his footing fast. He struck Faker in the face with his foot, then elbowed him in the stomach. Faker groaned and He-Man was stunned at his own reaction to seeing his blue reflection in pain.

That sympathy was not repaid as Faker sped in fast and managed to punch He-Man hard three times, then kicked him in the chest a few times. He-Man then did something he didn't want to do. It was very unlike him, but he had to strike at Faker hard.

The shield of Grayskull slammed heavily into Faker's face. He-Man then pulled out the Sword of Power . . . and slid it into Faker's stomach. Huge sparks fired out and strange liquids began to flow out. Faker went to do the attack he wanted to do earlier, but was unable to with such damage.

"How?" asked Faker, his voice crackling. "You are not bloodthirsty."

"You have sought to destroy an entire dimension just for you own selfish reasons. It's wrong, Faker. You're wrong."

"I am your reflection, He-Man. Skeletor said so."

He-Man's eyes squinted. "The reflection of good is not evil, Faker. It's good."

Faker's glowing eyes went wide with realization, then dimmed and his body went limp.

He-Man sighed and pulled the Sword of Power out from Faker's gut. Faker's body slammed against the ground.

"Close one," he said as the others came over to him. "I guess it's over then."

Just then, however, the ground began to quake. The sky seemed go dim. Shorn and Vorlon both went dizzy, hands on their temples.

"No!" shouted Vorlon. "The damage was too much!"

"What do you mean?" asked Teela, helping to stabilize Shorn.

"Oris is dying," Shorn replied. "We can all feel it. We have . . . hours, if that."


	5. Redemption

Chapter Five: "Redemption"

He-Man stood at the top of a tall tower, staring out at the horizon. Below, a massive crowd of Elves had gathered, carrying with them packs and various other personal items. Sighing, He-Man sat down and looked out to the west. The horizon was non-existent. It seemed to just vanish in a fog of silver.

"Faker's been taken care of," Man-At-Arms stated. "I set up a small, cycling Electro-Magnetic Pulse that disables Faker's systems every thirty seconds. Moss Man and Ram-Man are watching him."

"Good."

"This isn't your fault, you know."

He-Man shrugged. "Might as well be. Faker's my responsibility. My darkness. My doppelganger. I should have been sure he was gone. That he was no longer a threat."

"How could you have known?"

"I don't know. But these people have to leave this place they have made their home because of my because of my inaction."

"You didn't know, He-Man. You watched Faker fall. There was no reason for you to believe that Faker was still alive. Besides, there was Skeletor to contend with . . ."

"Doesn't matter, Duncan. My life has been dedicated to protecting the innocent since I was given this sword! And I wasn't here to protect these people."

Duncan placed his hand on He-Man's shoulder. "Times like these makes me know that they were right in giving you the Sword of Power. You need to know that it's not your fault. It was never your fault. You didn't know that the Elves. You didn't know they needed you."

He-Man sighed and nodded a little. "I guess I understand, yeah. It doesn't help much, but . . ."

"Is this how you truly feel, He-Man?" asked Shorn suddenly. "My apologies, but I couldn't help but overhear."

He-Man nodded. "Yes. It is." He paused and looked out at the fraying west. The fog of nothingness had spread to the north now. "I can not apologize enough for my irresponsibility."

"But Man-At-Arms is correct, He-Man. You did not know that we were even here in Oris. And if you thought Faker destroyed, then how could you even suspect that he would be causing chaos and destruction in a realm you never even knew existed?"

He-Man shrugged. "It's the principle, sire. Faker is my nemesis. My enemy. I should have made sure. I should have been more careful."

Shorn stepped forward and placed both his old hands on He-Man's shoulders; his gray hair spiraled around his head in the wind.

"If there are more people like you on Eternia, then I can believe that perhaps your world truly has changed. That perhaps we can once more walk along the paths of Dellos and soak in the air of the great Eternia."

"There are, sire," Man-At-Arms answered.

Shorn nodded. "I believe you. Then, the time has come. At long last . . . the Elves shall return to Eternia."

XXX

"The spell will be difficult to cast," Shorn stated about an hour later. "It requires the opening of a portal to Dellos on Eternia. That is the simple portion."

In front of him, in the throne room, were all the heads of the families, as well as the Heroic Warriors. Some of them looked happy, others uncertain and even more were downright disgruntled.

"The hardest part will come after arrive on Eternia. The Tower of Oris must remain intact until we leave. Afterwards, it must be destroyed or the feedback will destroy us. However, who remains to destroy may not have time to get to the portal before the entire dimension vanishes. I will ask for volunteers."

"I will do it, father," Lorn offered.

"No need, Prince Lorn," He-Man cut in. "I'll do it. I'm the strongest and I'm the fastest. I can stay and do it."

The looks from all the others in the room were that of shock and surprise at this outsider's willingness to step up and take on such danger just for them. But He-Man spoke the truth. He was more than willing to do this, to stand up for them when they needed it. To redeem the actions of Faker with his own actions.

"We . . . we will accept your help, He-Man."

He-Man bowed. "I am honored, then, King Shorn."

XXX

The Elves gathered together around the Tower of Oris. He-Man stood at the bottom of the Tower with the rest of the Heroic Warriors, and Faker.

"Leave him here," He-Man said. "The dimensional collapse will destroy him once and for all."

"Really?" asked Teela.

"Yeah. It's the only guarantee, I think. And that way, we don't have to deal Skeletor trying to get his hands on him again."

Man-At-Arms nodded. "It's for the best."

"MY PEOPLE!" Shorn suddenly shouted from before them all. All 1,500 Elves looked to their leaders. "THE TIME HAS COME! WE MUST RETURN FROM THE WORLD WE ONCE LEFT! CHANT, NOW, CALL UPON THE POWER TO OPEN THE PORTAL BACK HOME! SING TO US, NOW, THE ELFSONG OF ETERNIA!"

He-Man, Moss Man, Ram-Man, Teela, and Man-At-Arms all watched then as the Elves began to sing as one. It was marvelous sound, filled with beautiful Elfish words that flowed from their mouths softly. Their bodies began to glow. The ground itself started to glow. The entire realm started to glow.

A massive silver round portal appeared before the crowd. He-Man looked to the group and nodded. As the Elves began to file into the portal, the Heroic Warriors followed.

"Be careful," Teela said, eyes locking onto He-Man's.

"I will be."

"Just hurry," Man-At-Arms followed up.

He-Man smiled and nodded.

An hour passed, then another . . . and finally, the last bunch of Elves entered the portal. King Shorn was the last.

"We'll maintain the portal as long as possible, but it will be difficult."

"I understand. Don't worry. I'm make it."

Shorn walked through the portal. He-Man turned to the Tower of Oris. What he saw was Faker snapping free of his binds.

"He-Man!" shouted Faker.

"Faker!" He-Man responded, pulling out his Sword of Power. "How can you be active?"

Faker looked at He-Man curiously. "I overrode and rerouted my power units. This dimension is collapsing. How can you still be here? I am detecting no more Elves and that is a portal behind you. Logic dictates that you should not be here."

"Why are you asking me questions?"

"'The reflection of good is not evil. It's good.' That has contradicted my programming and I must investigate."

"I am making up for you mistakes, Faker. This dimension is collapsing. The Tower of Oris must fall for the Elves to be safe on the other side."

Faker looked to the Tower and then back to He-Man.

"If the Tower of Oris falls, then the dimension will cease to exist almost immediately afterward. It is almost impossible for you to get to that portal. You are prepared to possibly sacrifice yourself for these people?"

"I am. To make up for the damage you did, yes."

"I did . . . the damage. By your logic . . . your 'good' . . . I should be the one in your position? Willing to sacrifice myself?"

"I . . . I suppose so."

"Odd," Faker replied then looked away, red eyes closed in what He-Man could only guess was deep thought. So strange, to see this thing . . . this man . . . with his face. Faker then looked up at He-Man with an expression He-Man could only determine as pure honesty.

With lightning fast speed, Faker pushed He-Man hard. He-Man went flying back and landed just two feet shy of the portal. Faker then turned to the Tower of Oris.

His fist slammed against the wall, immediately creating massive cracks that ran up the ivory surface. He-Man went to move, but then saw what Faker was doing. He was helping He-Man. He was making up for what he had done wrong.

Faker continued to slam his fists into the Tower of Oris, shaking and rumbling. He-Man took a few steps forward, but stopped as soon as the Tower of Oris came apart and crumbled completely. Faker vanished underneath the rubble. All of Oris then started darken. He-Man leapt back and into the portal . . .

XXX

"That was close!" Teela shouted as He-Man rolled out of the portal mere seconds before it vanished.

"You did it!" yelled Lorn. "You destroyed the Tower or Oris!"

"No," He-Man coughed. "No. It was Faker. Faker did it. He . . . I don't know what happened. He suddenly understood what it meant to be opposite of evil. Faker saved you."

Hours passed, then, with the Elves spreading themselves out across the island, exploring and planning. He-Man and his allies went back to their Talon Fighter, escorted by Vorlon, King Shorn, and Prince Lorn.

"Many thanks, He-Man. We owe you greatly," Prince Lorn stated. "All of you. Captain Teela, I hope to see you again."

Teela smiled. "Yeah, maybe."

Man-At-Arms cleared his throat and shook hands with Lorn. "Good journey."

Vorlon stepped over to He-Man. "You put your life on the line for my people, He-Man. I wish to apologize for myself and my associate when we came to you the first time in the Evergreen Forest."

He-Man paused, then shook hands with the Elf that had attempted kill him just days before hand. "I forgive you."

"We have much work ahead of us," Shorn then said to all of them after getting some plant and rock advice from Ram-Man and Moss Man. "This was our home once and must be made so again. But for all the work ahead of us . . . I must say, there is a great part of me that is happy to be on Eternia again. Fare the well, Heroic Warriors of Eternos. Good journey, He-Man of Grayskull."

XXX

They rode back in the Talon Fighter. He-Man sat in the front seat with Man-At-Arms. Moss Man, Ram-Man, and Teela all sat in the backseat and had – much to their surprise – all fallen asleep. It was somewhat comical, watching them all doze off together.

Above them, the sky was filled with stars. Below, the water swirled in the Harmony Sea gently. He-Man pulled out bottle of water from the food pack and poured it into the portal coffee-maker. A few minutes later, both Man-At-Arms and He-Man had a pair of small thermoses filled with hot coffee.

"We're making good time," Duncan stated, drinking his coffee.

"Yeah."

"Faker on your mind?"

"Yeah." He-Man took a sip of his coffee. "You know, the three times I faced with him, I saw him as nothing more than a robot wearing muscles and skin that looked like me. Well, except for the coloring."

"Right."

"But, in those last few minutes, it was like he had grown. It was as if he had surpassed all his programming . . . and started to understand the nature of good. I couldn't help but see myself within him. As he pushed me away and started to destroy the Tower of Oris, I saw . . . well . . . my reflection. A blue reflection, but my reflection."

"Hmmm."

"It just bothers me that it was after those first few minutes of true human understanding that Faker was destroyed."

Duncan grinned a little. "I can understand that. But, I believe you can take solace in the fact that the first thing he did when had achieved, as your put it, 'true human understanding' and was able to surpass his programming, he did what you were prepared to do. Sacrifice himself for others. Save others before himself. Faker did indeed become a reflection, He-Man. A reflection of your heroism."

He-Man smiled. "Thank you."

Duncan lifted his thermos. "To Faker."

He-Man touched his thermos to Duncan's. "To Faker."

"Mmmm, oh Lorn . . ." Teela suddenly muttered in her sleep. Both Duncan and He-Man looked back as Teela talked in her sleep.

"Great. Something new to worry about," Duncan grumped, turning back to the controls.

"I wouldn't," He-Man responded, sipping his coffee. "And hey, at least the Elves are back and on good terms with us."

"I'll say that. The past never seems to stay old, does it?"

"I would say not." He-Man settled in chair. "How much longer, would you say?"

"Four hours." Duncan shifted the Talon Fighter's position just a little. "Homeward bound."

THE END . . . FOR NOW 

  
XXX

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

IT'S DONE! After all these long, insane months of gathering eDust and about a kajillion delays, "The Elfsong of Eternia" is done! Yay! Thanks for tuning in, guys, and I hope you enjoyed!

W

PS – Faker's story ain't over! Check out the up-coming "My Blue Reflection!"


End file.
